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Please consider the following news release from the California
Air Resources Board:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/newsrelease.php?id=947
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2017
NEWS RELEASE 17-51a
CONTACT:
Karen Caesar
(916) 322-2990
Karen.Caesar@arb.ca.gov
Railroads fined for violating state’s drayage truck regulation
$1.25 million will support air pollution research, pay for school
air filters near rail yards
SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board reached
settlements with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company
(BNSF) and Union Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR) to resolve
violations of the state’s drayage truck regulation, which
requires cleanup of trucks servicing the state’s busy ports and
intermodal rail yards.
An investigation by CARB’s Enforcement Division documented that
both companies had failed to accurately report all the required
information for noncompliant trucks entering 12 separate
intermodal terminals. Intermodal terminals facilitate transfer
of goods from train to truck or vice-versa.
BNSF agreed to pay a total of $720,000; UPRR will pay $525,000.
The cases highlight CARB’s efforts to mitigate the damaging
impact that older, dirtier trucks have on nearby communities that
have traditionally borne the brunt of diesel pollution due to the
high volume of truck traffic near the rail yards.
“CARB’s commitment to protecting these disadvantaged communities
near rail yards is unwavering,” said CARB Executive Officer
Richard Corey. “Union Pacific and BNSF have done the right thing
by acknowledging their mistakes and agreeing to take steps that
will reduce emissions and immediately improve the quality of life
for those who live and breathe near the yards.”
BNSF will pay $625,000 as a mitigation project to the South Coast
Air Quality Management District to fund installation of high
efficiency air filtration systems in several schools located near
rail yards in the greater Los Angeles/San Bernardino area. These
systems dramatically reduce children’s exposure to diesel
particulate and other toxic air contaminants. In addition, the
company will pay $95,000 to the Air Pollution Control Fund, which
provides funding for projects and research to improve
California’s air quality, and upgrade its data collection system
so that the required information on each non-compliant truck
entering a BNSF facility is accurately reported to CARB.
UPRR will pay $525,000 to the Air Pollution Control Fund, and
agreed to initiate a “truck turn away program” at rail yards for
trucks that are not in compliance with the Drayage Truck
Regulation, thereby eliminating the need to report data on these
vehicles to CARB.